FM 1-02.

ppt
POWERPOINT TIPS AND TRICKS

M
EM
E
MEME
MEME

2021

AUGUST 2023
DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTION:
Approved for public release; distribution is encouraged.
This publication supersedes nothing because it’s not real.
HEADQUARTERS, MAP PEN GANG @fire_meme_alpha
 1. Shuffling Icons
PowerPoint Tips and Tricks!
PowerPoint is a monster that has taken over the world. While it may seem like a noble fight to try
and find other ways to do things (like exclusively using map markers and acetate), sometimes you
just have to sit down and make some slides.
Although you should know how to do everything by hand (and analog methods are often far
superior to anything requiring a computer), sometimes you have to remember a computer may be
your primary weapon system.
Special thanks to @the_box_wizard and @lawrence_of_atropia for sending extra tips and tricks!!
Icon Location Precision
Can’t get your icons in the exact spot you want them? Click on the icon and use the arrow keys to
move it around! Not precise enough? Hold the “Control” key while using the arrow keys for fine-
tuning.

Icon Alignment
Lining up icons got you down? The “align” button can be your best friend! (you can find it on the
“Home” tab under the “Arrange” button, or on the “Shape Format” tab when you’ve selected a
shape)
First, throw the icons where you generally want them to go, then pick the right task!

Icon Grouping
Want to keep all your icon modifiers with the unit icon? Want to keep all the symbols in your org
chart together? You can find the “group” button by right-clicking on the icon (or you can press
Control-G). You can even group groups of icons! Exciting!
Example: Line Up/Group a Bunch of Infantry Unit Icons in 5 Easy Steps

1 1

2
(Control+G)
→

Step 1:
Put the icons in Step 2: Step 3:
the right-ish place Distribute Vertically Align Center Step 4: Group

Step 5: Promote Ahead of Peers

 2. Importing Graphics
PowerPoint Tips and Tricks!

Copy/Paste Icons From PDF Files

Most PDF files will let you copy images (FM 1-02.2 and the other Firememe Alpha guides do!)
directly into PowerPoint.
You can pull in everything from individual unit modifiers all the way to entire maps!

Transparent Colors!
If you copy/paste an icon from FM 1-02.2, you’ll notice the icon is on a white background.
To remove the white background, select the pasted icon and select the “Picture Format” tab. From
there select “Color,” and then “Set Transparent Color.” Click the white background of the icon, and
it will go away! Note: There will often be a white frame outline that you’ll see if you look closely.
Crop the pasted icon, and it’s gone!

Example: Add “Airborne” Modifier to Infantry Unit Icon in 6 Steps

Step 2:
2
Step 1: Paste into powerpoint Step 3:
Copy the Icon (oh no! there’s a white background!) Set Transparent Color

Step 4: Step 5: Step 6:

Notice the thin white line Crop out the edges of the icon Airborne

1
Transparent Colors and Color Icons
If you want to use copy/pasted modifiers on color
icons, you’ll probably get some white around the
edges. Go to “Picture Format” → “Color” → “More 2 3
Variations” and select the black color. It gets most of it.

 Before
After →
Getting Rid of White Outlines
There’s a difference. Trust me.
 3. Time Savers
PowerPoint Tips and Tricks!
Set Default Text and Background Images
The “Slide Master” is useful for changing settings for all the slides (and all the new ones you make
in the file.
1
2

5
4

To access the “Slide Master,” select the “View” tab, and then the “Slide Master” button.

• Scroll to the 1st Slide. Now you can change the default fonts. Now you don’t have to worry
about getting yelled at because your slides aren’t in Arial!
• If you need to put logos in the corners of all your slides, put them on the master. They will all
appear in the same place.
• Tired of clicking the map when youre trying to click an icon? Paste the map on the slide, and
now you can’t click it, and the icons cant go behind it! Neat!

Common Keyboard Shortcuts

Seconds save lives! Save time with these fun keyboard shortcuts:
Control + B = Bold Control + G = Group Control + X = Cut
Control + U = Underline Control + I = Italics Control + A = Select All
Control + S = Save Control + C = Copy Control + Click = Select Multiple Icons
Control + Shift + Arrow = Stretch Shapes Length/Width
 4. Legible Maps
PowerPoint Tips and Tricks!
Icons/Text blending Into Your Map/Background?
If you can’t see your icons/text, the easiest fix is to use better icons. If that’s not an option, there
are several solutions available.

2 1
→Set the transparency of your map to 50%
Select your map and go to “Picture Format,” then 3
select “Transparency,” and pick a level that works!
Making the Map Transparent

→Insert a transparent white box over the map

This may be useful if you have something else on the background of the slide
preventing you from making the map transparent.
Go to “Insert” and make a new shape. Set the outline/fill to white
Right-click on the shape to access the “Format Shape” menu, and set
“Transparency” to 50% (or whatever works best for you!)
1
Making a Transparent Box

→Use a Glow Effect 1

If you don’t want to lose any clarity on the map, the
glow effect may be your best bet!
From the “Shape Format” tab, click “Shape Effects” 2
or “Text Effects” and find the color glow that works
best for you!
3
Glow Effect

Methods for Making Icons Stand Out On Maps

IMPORTANT TEXT IMPORTANT TEXT IMPORTANT TEXT IMPORTANT TEXT

No Effects Transparency 50% Transparent White Box Glow Effect

(You could also just use color icons)
 5. Ankle Biters
PowerPoint Tips and Tricks!

Tired of accidentally moving icons?

If you’re clicking around and moving icons, its pretty common to click on
the background/literally anything other than what you’re trying to click.

If you lock the icon/image/shape, it won’t move!

Right click on the icon and select “lock.” Now you can click away without
moving everything!
Lock an Image

Paste as a Picture 1
When you copy/paste/scale powerpoint icons, it’s not uncommon for the
shapes to change a little bit. If you want to avoid line thickness and unit
modifiers (especially echelons with dots, for some reason) from
changing on you, you can paste the icons as a picture!
Now you can scale them to your hearts content without any formatting
changes. Paste as Picture

Advanced Slide Printing

Have you ever been angry with how much space is wasted when you print two pages per slide?
Instead of selecting “2 slides per page” on the main print menu, LEAVE THAT ALONE
Instead, go to “Printer Properties,” go to the “Layout” tab and set “Pages per Sheet” to 2.
Click ok, print, and brag about your superior products.

1 2

 Leave This Alone

3
This button is for fools

Rookie Move Advanced Technique

 6. Little Things
PowerPoint Tips and Tricks!
How to get the colors just right
Its actually pretty easy to get the colors for icons to line up with doctrine (although it takes enough
effort to keep many people [myself included] from getting it right every time).
All you have to do is click on the “Fill” button (it’s found in
several places), and select “More Fill Colors”
The “Colors” box pops up. On the “Custom”
tab, you can enter the numbers from the
chart (below) in FM 1-02.2 to get the exact
color you’re looking for.
(e.g. the three numbers under the name are the
numbers for Red, Green, and Blue respectively.)
(FM 1-02.2, 2022)

Layers and Icons (Like Onions)

When you click on shapes, you’ll often see some or all of these options. The “Arrange” button has
them all. They allow you to rotate, group and layer icons!

Bring to front brings the selected item to the top layer.

Bring to back sends it all the way to the back This is the Selection Pane

Click the “lock” button to keep the selected

item from being moved/edited accidentally

Click the eyeball button the view/hide the icons.

This can help you focus/makes it easier to click
the right icon if your slide is really busy

If you’ve got grouped icons, you can lock/hide

them all together, which is pretty neat.

If you select this button, the “Selection Pane” appears!